A photo journal about what it was like to be full time RVers for three years and now Florida residents--for friends, family, and curiosity seekers. We still travel by car, but are house owners now.

Monday, January 14, 2013

Marietta Museum of Art and Whimsy

Sarasota, FL High: 80 Low: 62

There's a cool museum here in Sarasota...It's full of art and whimsy! It's the Marietta Museum of Art and Whimsy on Tamiami Trail. As soon as Sparky heard the building is pink and there are flamingoes everywhere, she knew this was a stop to check out. AND---it's FREE and open to the public, on Thursdays thru Saturdays, from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM. There are two really cool benches on the outside of the museum, Sparky could tell this was going to be a fun place to visit. Here's one of them.

This is a museum with artwork from living artists, so no photos were allowed and they were VERY firm on that...But Sparky was allowed to take photos of the outside garden which is coming later. As soon as you walk in the door, there's a police officer sitting next to the admissions counter where you sign in as a guest. The police officer is so real, (his name is "Art"), get it? that at first, Sparky nervously wondered if he was going to ask her to take her camera back out to the car and leave it there. She looked at him several times in the next minute, and when he hadn't budged an inch, she realized it was soft sculpture, and the most realistic character she had ever seen! Wish I could show you his photo!

The website shows a couple of photos that Sparky saw of the artworks...One was "Chicken Little, The Ice is Melting," by Hannah Price...Another cool piece of art work was a mirror done by an artist framed with tiny, tiny miniatures of people made from gypsum and potatoes...The detail was amazing! There was a gallery doorway leading into the founding artist's, Marietta Lee's gallery, that had all kinds of family mementoes cemented into the arch---tie tacks, ticket stubs, shells, gems, beads, watches from her parents, fish, fishing lures, all kinds of cool stuff. Sparky thought that would be a wonderful way to make a memorial for anyone's family but instead make a stepping stone piece using little bits and pieces of memorabilia from family members.

The story of Marietta Lee and how she became an artist is an interesting one. She was an emergency room nurse for many years and a rescue squad team member. She turned to artwork as a way to relieve the terrible stress and emotions of working under traumatic conditions. After training to become an artist, she saw that women's art was under represented, so her museum promotes the work of many excellent women artists. Her vision is for her museum to appeal to all ages, to give pleasure to the senses, and to provide a little humor through artwork...All kinds of media are represented here....And it certainly does make you smile and wonder, and go..."O-o-o-o-o-h!" Even the bathrooms are loaded with artwork and whimsical sculptures!

There's even a little light show going on in her gallery on the ceiling and walls. When you talk or raise your voice or give a little "WHOOP!" the lights go crazy and respond to voices doing different things. Cool!

The gardens out back are a delight to walk around in...Black bamboo trees, beautiful flowers, lots of color, and more whimsical art to make you smile...

There were blooming plants Sparky had never seen before...

There were amazing vines climbing the live oak trees. It looked like another Jack in the Beanstalk garden..This is looking UP a tree trunk...

You need to look UP as much as you look down....

And look around and around...this is a ballerina that spins when the breeze moves it...

You can get an idea of the fun use of color used everywhere inside and out by the back porch sampling...

It's a beautiful, fun place to visit...

Sparky highly recommends a visit to this museum.....Even if you aren't into art, the whimsy moves the spirit of the child in you....And if that childlike spirit is buried within you, come out to the museum to wake it up!

P.S. Eldo and Sparky are going to the Tampa RV show coming up and so are a BUNCH of RVers and blogging friends. We plan on being there SENIOR DAY, January 16th....Eldo should be wearing his Notre Dame hat so that's how you might recognize us. Don't hesitate to say "Are you Eldo and Sparky?" If you haven't met us, we love it when you introduce yourselves. Please do!

About Us

After traveling full time in a motorhome for three years, we decided to come off the road and settle on Florida's west coast. We still travel and occasionally rent an RV because we miss it so much. Sparky creates and crafts and has a shop on Etsy. Be sure to check out http://etsy.com/shop/JeanBeanGifts to see what she's been making. Thanks for reading us!